What’s Next for Crypto After Ripple, Coinbase Dismissals? Incoming SEC Chair Paul Atkins Speaks

Paul Atkins, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), recently addressed the Senate Banking Committee on March 27, calling for a clear and supportive framework for the cryptocurrency market.

He said, “Since 2017, as I have led industry efforts to develop best practices for the digital asset industry, I have seen how ambiguous and non-existent regulations for digital assets create uncertainty in the market and inhibit innovation.”

Atkins said that a top priority of his chairmanship will be to work with his fellow commissioners and Congress to provide a firm regulatory foundation for digital assets through a rational, coherent, and principled approach.

He criticized outdated rules that block innovation and said vague policies have undermined investor confidence. Atkins vowed to create a framework that encourages growth, technology, and investor protection, aligning with Trump’s vision for global leadership in digital assets.

“It is time for the SEC to return to its core mission that Congress set out for it: investor protection; fair, orderly, and efficient markets; and capital formation,” he added.

Atkins, a former SEC commissioner and current CEO of Patomak Global Partners, opened up about the need for regulatory clarity in the rapidly growing digital asset space.

“I am eager to get to work for American markets and investors. Should I be confirmed, my goal will be to ensure that the United States is the best and most secure place in the world to do business and for Americans to invest their hard-earned dollars to save and provide for their future,” he explained.